Signature Assignments & Rubrics
Signature Assignments
Inclusion in the KU Core 34 curriculum requires courses to create one signature assignment across all sections. The signature assignment must meet the signature assignment parameters provided for each goal. The University Assessment Committee will use the goal’s associated rubric to assess student learning using a sample of signature assignments collected from each course.
As part of the assessment process, you will be asked to tag your signature assignment in Canvas and identify the rubric criteria the assignment meets. For instructions on this, please see the "Tagging Signature Assignments in Canvas" section below.
Purpose
The UCCC (University Core Curriculum Committee) requires all KU Core 34 courses to include a signature assignment because they collect direct evidence of student learning over time, allowing for an evaluation of whether students have achieved the desired learning outcomes. Additionally, they provide consistent expectations across all sections and courses included in the KU Core 34, allowing for thorough and consistent assessment of Institutional Learning Goals (ILGs) at the KU Core 34 level, not just within the individual courses.
This emphasis on signature assignments underscores their importance in maintaining high standards and consistency across the curriculum, ensuring that all students are achieving KU’s Institutional Learning Goals (ILGs) and the KU Core 34 learning outcomes.
Design
A Signature Assignment is intentionally created to illustrate student learning in the core concepts of the KU Core 34 and ILGs. Signature Assignments should:
- Align with the KU Core 34 learning outcomes
- Meet the parameters established by the UCCC
- Allow for usage of the provided rubrics by the University Assessment Committee
- Be identified in Canvas using the process outlined by the University Assessment Committee
The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) is available to assist faculty in designing a signature assignment for their course. Please contact Drew Vartia (vartia@ku.edu) or Joshua Potter (joshuadpotter@ku.edu) for assistance.
Tagging Signature Assignments in Canvas
Step by step instructions can be found here.
Implementation Timeline
Courses will be expected to incorporate their signature assignment and identify it in the Canvas gradebook the first semester their course is offered after Fall 2024. For example, KU Core 34 courses offered in Spring 2025 need to include the signature assignment in their curriculum.
Assessment Rubrics
The UCCC elected to use, combine, or slightly modify AAC&U Value rubrics associated with each learning outcome as the assessment tools used by the University Assessment Committee to evaluate student learning. AAC&U rubrics are nationally recognized for their validity, reliability, and their flexibility across disciplines.
The University Assessment Committee will use the goal’s associated rubric to assess student learning using a sample of signature assignments collected from each course.
KU Core 34 classes are intended to be foundational; therefore, mastery of the course content and material is not expected. The highlighted boxes on the rubric show the milestone students are expected to achieve in a foundational course. These milestones were selected by the UCCC with input from constituents teaching courses within each goal.
Signature Assignment FAQs
The signature assignment must meet the assignment parameters established for each goal and the minimum number of rubric criteria indicated.
Yes, you are welcome to use or modify an existing assignment if it meets the assignment parameters.
Courses will be expected to incorporate their signature assignment and identify it in the Canvas gradebook the first semester their course is offered after Fall 2024. Instructions on how to do this can be found in the "Tagging Signature Assignments in Canvas" section above.
Faculty and instructors who teach multiple sections of the same course should discuss their signature assignment and the rubric measures being used with each other. While the signature assignment can vary between sections based on the instructor teaching style and expertise, the instructors should collaborate to ensure expectations are similar for students across sections, the KU Core 34 learning outcomes are met, and the assignment meets the rubric parameters.
For example, a general assignment structure -- say, a 3-4 page paper with a strong thesis statement and a bibliography -- could be adopted across course sections, with each instructor using that structure to address a different topic or specialization with their students. By contrast, considerably broader variation -- like students writing a 5-paragraph essay in one course section while students in another section write a 15-page paper -- would not meet this expectation of consistency.
It is important to note that, aside from this one signature assignment requirement, other areas of the course may vary across individual instructors at the department's discretion.
The UCCC expects courses to meet all learning outcomes and the milestones outlined in the rubric throughout their courses but acknowledges it may be challenging to do that within one assignment. The assignment parameters indicate how many criteria the signature assignment is expected to meet.
Faculty will be asked to submit the signature assignment prompt and identify the rubric criteria the assignment meets.
According to FERPA, you are not required to inform students that their artifacts will be shared. However, we have crafted language to include on your syllabus and/or within the assignment prompts if you'd like to inform or students
Assignment/Syllabus Notification
Student submissions for this assignment may be used during the University Assessment Council’s assessment of the KU Core 34 general education [Insert Goal Name] goal. Names and student ID numbers will be removed prior to review by the University Assessment Council. This practice complies with FERPA regulations regarding disclosure of student educational records.
Signature Assignments will be centrally retrieved beginning in Spring 2025. They will be retrieved at the conclusion of each semester the course is offered.
Monthly reports will indicate the KU Core 34 courses that have and have not identified the signature assignment in Canvas. We will reach out to faculty who have not identified a signature assignment to ask if they need assistance.
The Center for Teaching Excellence is available to assist faculty in creating or modifying signature assignments. Please contact Drew Vartia (vartia@ku.edu) or Joshua Potter (joshuadpotter@ku.edu) for assistance.
A variety of the AAC&U rubrics were used in the development of the KU Core 34 rubrics including, written communication, oral communication, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, inquiry and analysis, integrative learning, ethical reasoning, global learning, and intercultural knowledge and competence.
No. Faculty and instructors will continue to evaluate students’ work independently of the KU Core 34 rubrics.
KU Core 34 assessment is not designed to assess courses individually but to assess how the entire goal is meeting the learning outcomes and goal.